Sunday, June 8, 2008

The city of Torreón is located in the State of Coahuila in central Mexico. Founded in 1893, Torreón is a modern industrial city that is home to flour mills, textile plants, iron foundries, a rubber factory, and various other industries. Torreón is also situated in a rich agrarian region noted for its cotton and wheat farms and cattle ranches.

Since the 1970s, however, there has been a significant decrease in cropland in the Torreón region due to drought and subsequent extraction of ground water from aquifers. In 1992, the Mexican government passed the Federal Water Law, in which the government sought to shift responsibility for some water management rights issues from federal to local governments, or even individuals. This left farmers in a position to negotiate their own water rights. At the same time, however, prices of water for irrigation were also raised. The amount of land around Torreón on which crops are raised continues to decrease. View detailed information

English translation for the above comment:Here in Torreon we have a phrase that shows our pride to live in this land, "defeated the Desert". I think we're in the process destroying.

Climate change is already evident in all seasons with changes in rainfall patterns, with a drought that is almost permanently, with temperatures above 40 degrees centigrade as never before. We are destroying flora and fauna of our region both in the urban area and in the countryside. an example is very sad the Park "Raymundo" in riverside Nazir. Until a few years ago was an oasis trees with a substantial extension, now in less than a generation has become a wasteland desert.

I strongly support this initiative to show that we have become and where are we heading if we do not stop this systematic destruction. The movement for change begins with the recognition of our mistakes.

About Atlas of Our Changing Environment

Atlas of Our Changing Environment is a comprehensive visual overview of the nature and extent of human impact on the planet. The Atlas provides visual evidence of global environmental change through a combination of ground photographs, current and historical satellite images, and narratives based on extensive scientific evidence. This blog is not only useful for creating collective environmental intelligence on local and global problems; it also underscores the intrinsic value of communications technologies for information exchange between people that care about the environment across the globe.View UNEP Atlas Website